Spain’s legendary tennis star registered a unique record after his recent win in the semifinal of the Bastad Open. The 37-year-old is often regarded as the greatest player in the history of men’s tennis, having won as many as 22 Grand Slam titles.
Nadal is currently participating in the Bastad Open, where he booked his place in the final after beating Duje Ajdukovic in the semifinal with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. That win has helped the former world number one cement his spot in the final of an ATP event for the 131st time. Out of 130 finals in the past, Nadal has won 92 times, an astonishing achievement. Only four players in the history of men's tennis have played in more ATP finals than Nadal--Jimmy Connors (164), Roger Federer (157), Ivan Lendl (146) and Novak Djokovic (139).
After the match, Nadal, while talking to the media, admitted that he is playing ‘much better’ than he did a few months back, which would be great news for his fans, especially ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympics. “I am playing much better than two months ago,” he said. “But I must continue to progress. I have to accept all the challenges that come and be willing to suffer on the court to continue giving myself opportunities to succeed.”
Nadal has struggled with fitness concerns in the recent past, and it was because of this that he ended up missing three out of four Grand Slams in 2023. Last year, the legendary tennis star, while staying on the sidelines because of an injury, announced that he would retire from professional tennis at the end of the 2024 season. The Spaniard returned to the court earlier this year but has been unable to live up to the expectations. Therefore, his performance in the Bastad Open will give his fans a lot of optimism to see him perform to the best of his ability in the Paris Olympics, on a surface where he won 14 Grand Slam titles in his illustrious career.
72 - His second as a wildcard after Hamburg in 2015, Rafael Nadal has now reached a 72nd ATP event final on clay. It is the second-most of any player on the surface in the Open Era, trailing only Guillermo Vilas (76) over that span. King. #nordeaopen | @NordeaOpen @atptour
